Our early tests with the Apple Watch SE show a wearable that takes the best of the range, drops the added health benefits and could well be the top-selling Apple Watch out there.

Lower price; Still-powerful chipset

No always-on display; Battery life still not improved

The Apple Watch SE is set to start shipping Friday, September 18, but the first hands-on reviews of Apple's lower-cost wearable are now appearing...

By pulling together many of the best bits from the now-discontinued Series 4 and Series 5, the SE is an affordable entry into the Apple Watch experience that will suit a majority of users.

Affordable price; Ease of use; Apple Pay; Heart-rate sensor; Interchangeable straps

No always-on display; Missing some of the sensors found in Series 6 model

It’s not the best Apple Watch, but it's the most easily recommendable. The Apple Watch SE is anything but a ‘cheap Apple Watch.’ It brings the brilliant core experience that most people want, for less.

Top design; All the essential features; Competitive price

The mid-range Apple Watch SE is a very good smartwatch and gives you more than the Apple Watch 3, but it feels a bit pricey for what it offers. You’re not going to find a more well-rounded smartwatch than those made by Apple. From the design to the features, no other smartwatches come close.

Classic design, Huge app library, Large screen, Responsive

No always-on display, Lacks ECG and blood Oxygen monitoring, Mediocre battery life

While the new "SE" moniker attached to the Apple Watch SE has no official designation, I'd like to think it stands for "surprise edition" because that's what the Apple Watch SE is — a pleasant surprise.

The Apple Watch SE packs plenty of modern smartwatch features into a compact, low-profile package. It’s not the prettiest watch, and its sleep-tracking reports aren’t as insightful as the competition. But for the price the Watch SE is an excellent starter smartwatch for newcomers.

Powerful OS; Responsive performance; Comfortable design; Comprehensive features for the price

Sleep tracking lags the competition; No always-on display

Easy to recommend – but still not for everyone

Better-than-expected battery life; More affordable price; Very customisable (especially for Apple); Fully waterproof

No always-on display; Only available in three finishes; Still fairly pricey

“The Apple Watch SE misses out on some of the flashier features on the Series 6, but keeps nearly all the important ones, along with the same design, at a lower price.”

Stylish design; Highly customizable; Comprehensive health tracking; Responsive; fluid performance; Reliable; easy-to-use software

No always-on display

The Apple Watch SE drops the always-on display and a couple of advanced health sensors from the Series 6, but otherwise delivers the same winning app, fitness, and safety features for $120 less.

Same screen size and resolution as the Series 6; Supports fall detection; heart health notifications; and Emergency SOS; Always-on altimeter for real-time elevation tracking; WatchOS 7 adds a handwashing countdown timer and sleep tracking; Best third-party smartwatch app selection

No always-on display mode; Lacks ECG and SpO2 sensors